Boulder, CO

I don’t really know what I expected with Boulder, I just know that I wanted to go. You’ve probably heard of it. It’s become famous through television shows, songs and if you know your true crime history, JonBenet Ramsey.

But Boulder is famous in its own right. It’s home to the gorgeous Boulder Flatirons (that you really get a good glimpse of if you’re travelling from Denver) and the University of Colorado, Boulder. It sits just northwest between Denver and the Rocky Mountains. And it is very, very wealthy.

I got to Boulder at 9am on a Tuesday morning, the day before I flew to Toronto. Getting there was easy, RTD run two kinds of buses – an express bus and a regular and as it is run by RTD, you can get your return ticket for only $9. The trip was about 90 minutes from Union Station to Pearl Street Mall.

The first thing that hit me about Boulder was how clean it was (much like Denver to be honest). I got there before everything opened so the streets were practically empty in what could only be described as a very hot sun – although not as hot as the day before in Littleton.

Of course Boulder has its own Boulder in the middle of the Pearl Street Mall (a pedestrianised block of just shops and cafes)

And thank you to everyone who responded to my Instagram story with “I like that Boulder, that is a nice Boulder”.

The boulder from Boulder actually comes from Fairplay, CO some 100 miles away (also one of the inspirations for the setting of South Park).

Just some old rocks in the Gold Rush Era setting of Boulder

Pearl Street Mall

The Flatirons themselves are best seen from the freeway to Boulder but they do make the odd appearance.

After checking out the boulders and the surrounding areas, I took a hike up to the more residential areas of Boulder to see some of the biggest and fanciest houses in Colorado. Some were really grand, others just looked incredibly cosy.

What I really wanted to see was the American suburban vibe, the picket fences and boulevard of trees and I definitely got it here. If you’re lucky, you might even see a couple of wild rabbits.

Boulder is full of hidden surprises like that. If you search for them, you can find small amphitheatres in parks, hidden flora and gorgeous river streams that make you feel a million miles away from any civilisation.

The University of Colorado, Boulder is also worth a visit just for the sheer size of it. At its peak, it gives you a gorgeous panoramic view of Boulder City and County.

If there is one thing I regret about Boulder, it is not taking enough photos especially for this blog but the heat was just so much and the lack of good shelter made it difficult to stay in the sun for any great length of time.